International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, is emerging as a leading candidate to acquire a stake in the Portuguese airline TAP, which is valued at approximately $1 billion. This development follows comments from IAG's chief executive indicating a heightened interest in pursuing TAP. The potential acquisition comes amid discussions about the privatization of TAP, with analysts and bankers noting IAG's frontrunner status during a recent conference. Concurrently, the proposed merger between Brazilian airlines Azul and Gol has raised concerns about market competition, with critics warning of a potential duopoly in the aviation sector. Azul and Gol have defended their merger in meetings with the government, while Azul has suspended operations in 12 cities as part of this process.